Ghostwriting

In the public’s eye, people who have written books are established and knowledgeable–maybe even experts. If you’re a published author, you instantly have more authority on that subject than you otherwise would. The same is true for publishing articles; if you’ve been featured in magazines or trade publications your opinion is given more weight.

However, that can be easier said than done. Even if one had the time to sit down and write an article or a book, many professionals aren’t confident in their writing ability…or don’t even know where to start. What would they write about? How would they do it? What does the writing process consist of?

This is where a ghostwriter comes in.

“Ghostwriting” is a broad term that basically means helping another write something for publication. It can be as simple as rewriting an already-created manuscript or it can be as in-depth as writing an entire book from scratch, based solely on notes or interviews with someone else (the author of the book).

Who Hires Ghostwriters?

The short version is: nearly everybody. Who doesn’t want to be an expert in their field? Who doesn’t need the PR or authority that being published affords? Who doesn’t want to add “Author of…” or “As Featured In…” under their name?

Professionals of all walks hire ghostwriters. Doctors, chiropractors, CPAs, nutritionists, business owners, CEOs, attorneys, financial planners–pretty much anyone who provides an expert service may have the need to hire a ghostwriter.

If you are a professional seeking to be a “thought leader” or authority in your field, you are a candidate for ghostwriting.

What To Write

When deciding to write something you have to decide in which avenue it will be published. What’s best for your message: An article? Book? White paper? This basically depends on who your audience is and what you’re trying to achieve.

With the advent of ebooks, it’s is a lot easier to self-publish a book these days than one might think. It’s as simple as writing the book and formatting it correctly, then uploading it to Amazon. Viola! Your book is for sale!

A professional can be greatly assisted by having a book published or an article placed in a reputable trade magazine. At the very least white papers that can be distributed via one’s website give altitude and prestige–to say nothing of the fact that they are genuinely helpful to others by sharing valuable knowledge that you’ve accumulated about your field.

Regardless of whether you’re writing a book, an ebook, an article or a white paper, ghostwriting can help you take your idea from conception to production quickly and painlessly.

How I Can Help

The key to good ghostwriting is really be in sync with the author. Note that the ghostwriter isn’t the author of the book; it isn’t their idea and it isn’t even their voice. They are simply a conduit for getting across the author’s message.

My mission is to really understand the core concepts of what you’re trying to write about, whether it’s a book or an article. I first have to understand where you’re coming from before I can communicate it to another. Only at that point can I start to write.

Ghostwriting a book with another really is an entire process. You have to understand who they are and what they’re trying to say…and then help them say it.

Thinking of the story isn’t my job–my job is just to help you communicate yours.